Festivals & Events

1. 新年快樂！恭喜發財！

   san1 nin4 faai3 lok6! gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4!

   Happy New Year! Wishing you prosperity!

   Usage

   Classic Lunar New Year greetings in Hong Kong — the biggest holiday of the year

   Grammar Note

   "恭喜發財" is THE classic Cantonese New Year greeting — "congratulations and prosper"

2. 利是俾唔俾㗎？

   lei6 si6 bei2 m4 bei2 gaa3?

   Will you give me a red envelope?

   Usage

   "利是" (lai see) are red envelopes given at Lunar New Year — children ask adults for them

   Grammar Note

   "俾" is Cantonese for "give". "利是" symbolises good luck and prosperity

3. 中秋節點燈籠真係好靚！

   zung1 cau1 zit3 dim2 dang1 lung4 zan1 hai6 hou2 leng3!

   Lighting lanterns at the Mid-Autumn Festival is truly beautiful!

   Usage

   Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th of the 8th lunar month — lantern festivals are held across Hong Kong parks

   Grammar Note

   "靚" is Cantonese for "beautiful/gorgeous" — equivalent to Mandarin "漂亮"

4. 端午節要食粽。

   dyun1 ng5 zit3 jiu3 sik6 zung2.

   We eat sticky rice dumplings (zongzi) at the Dragon Boat Festival.

   Usage

   Dragon Boat Festival is marked by eating zongzi and watching dragon boat races

   Grammar Note

   "食" is Cantonese for "eat" — equivalent to Mandarin "吃"

5. 龍舟比賽喺邊度睇？

   lung4 zau1 bei2 coi3 hai2 bin1 dou6 tai2?

   Where can I watch the dragon boat race?

   Usage

   Dragon boat racing is a famous cultural event in Hong Kong during the Dragon Boat Festival

   Grammar Note

   "喺邊度睇" = "watch where?" — "喺" is locative preposition, "邊度" = "where"

6. 今晚有冇煙花匯演？

   gam1 maan5 jau5 mou5 jin1 faa1 wui6 jin2?

   Is there a fireworks display tonight?

   Usage

   Asking about fireworks during Lunar New Year or National Day celebrations

   Grammar Note

   "今晚" means "tonight". "煙花匯演" is the Hong Kong term for a fireworks show

7. 清明節要拜山。

   cing1 ming4 zit3 jiu3 baai3 saan1.

   At Ching Ming Festival, people visit and tend to ancestors' graves.

   Usage

   Ching Ming (early April) is a major Hong Kong festival for visiting and cleaning ancestral graves

   Grammar Note

   "拜山" (visit the mountain) is Cantonese for grave-visiting — many graves are on hillsides

8. 萬聖節去邊度慶祝好？

   maan6 sing3 zit3 heoi3 bin1 dou6 hing3 zuk1 hou2?

   Where is the best place to celebrate Halloween?

   Usage

   Halloween is one of the most celebrated Western holidays in Hong Kong — Lan Kwai Fong is famous for it

   Grammar Note

   "去邊度〜好" asks "where is good to go for [activity]?"

9. 聖誕節去蘭桂坊好熱鬧㗎！

   sing3 daan3 zit3 heoi3 laan4 gwai3 fong1 hou2 jit6 naau6 gaa3!

   Lan Kwai Fong is very lively at Christmas!

   Usage

   Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) is a famous entertainment district especially busy at Christmas and Halloween

   Grammar Note

   "熱鬧" describes a bustling, lively atmosphere. "好熱鬧" = very lively

10. 天后誕係咩節日？

    tin1 hau6 daan3 hai6 me1 zit3 jat6?

    What kind of festival is the Birthday of Tin Hau?

    Usage

    Tin Hau (Mazu) is the goddess of the sea, worshipped by fishing communities in Hong Kong

    Grammar Note

    "誕" means birthday/birth celebration. "天后誕" falls on the 23rd of the 3rd lunar month

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